Method of making stud links



y 1, 1941- s. H. GORDON 2,247,837

METHOD OF MAKING STUD LINKS Filed March 14, 1940 Fig.2. 14

Fig.4. I k zo Fig.7.

m Mentor EHQORDON Patented July 1 1941 Samuel Hunter Gordon, Inverness, Scotland Application March 14, 1940, Serial No. 324,001 In Great Britain March 30, 1939 4 Claims.

This invention relates to heavy chain cables of the kind in which the links have transverse studs which act as struts between the two sides of the link to keep them from collapsing inwards when the links are in tension.

The invention is concerned with methods of making the links of chain cables by uniting together two half links by means of automatic electric resistance welding. In such methods as hitherto practised or proposed, the stud has been made integral either with one of the two parts of the link or has been divided, one portion being integral with one part of the link and the other with the other part of the link, and this has led to difiiculties and disadvantages which it is the object of the present invention to avoid.

According to this invention, the link is made in two parts divided transversely, that is to say, at right angles, or substantially at right angles, to the length of the link, both of the parts being U-shaped so that neither of them provides any part of the stud, the stud being made separately and inserted after the two parts of the link proper have been united by automatic electrio resistance welding.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 illustrates the arrangement of electrode blocks that would be necessary for the production of chain if the links were divided lengthwise, that is to say, along the major axis,

Figure 2 is a corresponding view showing the arrangement of the electrode blocks in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 3 illustrates the two half-links prior to welding,

Figure 4 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows IVIV in Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows the welded link machined to receive the stud,

Figure 6 represents the completed link, and

Figure '7 shows a modified construction.

Referring to Figure 1, if the two half-links I ll are made as shown with the separating line along the major axis of the link and with the stud already formed in two halves l2, the disposition of the two adjacent links M must be somewhat as shown. This necessitates the unsymmetrical division or recessing of the electrode blocks IS, with consequent uneven heating, and inadequate area of contact for carrying current and pressure. When the division line is transverse as shown in Figure 2, the clamping of the half links between the electrode blocks is much easier and the adjacent links M are accommodated in centrally disposed gaps or recesses in the electrode blocks, thereby avoiding uneven heating and providing larger area for carrying current and for withstanding pressure. Owing to the absence of the stud there is more room for the two links M and it is easier to dispose these links clear of the electrode blocks and away from the welds themselves than it is in methods such as that illustrated in Figure 1 in which the stud is present to begin with.

Referring to Figure 3, the usual Welding allowance is provided as at I8 and seatings H) are formed for the reception of the stud. These seatings are machined after welding, as shown in Figures 5 and '7 and their surfaces 20 are made straight in cross-section (see Figure 4) so that the stud 22, with its ends, machined to the same shape as the surfaces 20, can be inserted from the side. It may be made a force fit in the link or it may be secured by tack welding, riveting or any other convenient method. It is preferred to make the surfaces 20 concave as seen from the side, the radius of curvature being greater than half the distance between the two surfaces in the case where the stud is not welded in place. The ends of the stud 22 are provided with correspondingly shaped convex ends and it will be appreciated that this avoids any possibility of the stud tilting, while of course it cannot move bodily lengthwise of the link.

When the stud is Welded or otherwise fixed positively in the link, the seating surfaces 20 are made concentric as shown in Figure '7 so that they can be machined by turning or boring, which is a simpler and cheaper operation than the broaching or slotting required by the non-concentric surfaces shown in Figure 5.

It is to be noted that in the opposite surfaces l 9, 2D and 23 an element in one surface is parallel to the corresponding element in the opposite surface. In other words, these surfaces may be considered cylindrical from a geometrical standpoint.

I claim:

1. The method of making links of chain cables of the kind herein described which consists in the steps of forming two U-shaped half-links abutting in surface contact relation along the minor axis of the link, neither of said halflinks providing any part of the stud, uniting the two half-links together by automatic electric resistance welding, forming opposed seating surfaces on the inner sides of the half-link elevation and have a radius of curvature greater than half the distance between the two surfaces, the ends of the stud to be inserted between the half links being shaped to corresponding convex curvature whereby tilting of the stud is rendered impossible.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the seating surfaces are turned or bored to cylindrical shape and the ends of the stud are shaped to correspond before being secured in the link by welding or the like.

SAMUEL HUNTER GORDON. 

